Transplant Stories

JENNY

Helping Patients Understand
After surgery but before discharge, kidney transplant patients at HCMC work with nurse Jenny Bodner to prepare for how their lives will change, and the many day-to-day responsibilities that they must take on, as a result of their new organ. Jenny understands that this can be an overwhelming time for them, and that they often struggle to understand and remember everything that she tells them. To help them understand, she involves them in her teaching by asking them to explain things back to her in their own words and practice how they would react to situations. As Jenny explains, "The success of their transplant depends on how active they are in their health care."

LAJUANA

Going the Distance
LaJuana Somefun lives more than 700 miles from her best friend, and her stay at HCMC for a kidney transplant could have made that distance feel much further. But thankfully, one of LaJuana's health care providers recognized the importance of keeping her friend connected and involved. With LaJuana’s permission, that provider regularly called her friend to update her on LaJuana’s progress. "It felt like my friend was there with me." Now well into recovery and making plans for her future, she looks back and says she couldn't have done it without the support of her friend and daughter, Jackie—and the support of HCMC in keeping LaJuana close to them.